Lubricating mechanism for machine tools



Aug. 6, 1935.

J. B. ELFRING LUBRICATING MECHANISMFOR MACHINE TOOL'S Filed June .'50, 1952 2 Sheets-sheet 1 @M f 6%@ l MAW v4 Aug. 6, 1935. .L B. ELFRING LUBRICATING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed June 30, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fluor/M3 Patented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED sTATEs LUBRCATING MECHANISP/ FOR MACHINE TOOLS f .lohn B. Eliring, Cincinnati,V Ohio, assigner to Cincinnati Grinders Incorporated, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 30, 1932, Serial No. 620,203.

l1 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in machine tool organizations and especially to mechanisms for lubricating parts or portions thereof.

An object of the invention is the provision of an im roved lubricating system which will facilitate proper lubrication of the bearings of a machine tool or the like under all conditions and will make possible the prevention of operation of the machine, either initially or otherwise, without due and proper lubrication of the parts.

A further object of the present invention is the provision in connection with a force feed lubri` cation system for machine tool or like use of auxiliary mechanism capable of supplementingA Y bearings.

the action of the primary lubricant supplying mechanism in eiecting desired lubrication of the bearings.

An additional object of the present invention is the provision of means particularly adapted for utilization m satisfactorily conditioning the bearings of a machine as respects lubrication thereof prior to the starting up of the machine and its automatic lubricating devices.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent by reference to the following specification considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and it is to be understood that any modifications may be made in the exact structural details there shown and described within the scope of the appended claims without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure l is an elevational View of a grinding machine embodying the improvements of this invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the spindle or shaft supporting the tool, here shown as a grinding wheel.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the spindie and its housing as seen, for example, on line 3;-3 on Figure 2. Y 7

Figure Il is a transverse sectional view similar to Figure 3 but through a plane parallel to but spaced therefrom, as seen from line 4 4 on Figure 2.

Throughout theseveralviews of the drawings similar reference characters are employed to denote the same or similar parts.

While this invention is illustrated in the drawings as used with a center type grinding machine it is to be understood that it has equal applications to all other types of machine tools, as well as other uses in which a high speed rotating shaft is intermittently started, that is after a`comparatively long delay, such as in the morning after the nights shut down or other times, in which the normal lubricating system has had an opportunity to drain back to the sump or tank.- As was noted above, this invention pertains to adevice whereby a given quantity of lubricant is supplied to the bearings of a stationary shaft preparatory to its rotation so that the bearing does not seize the shaft or spindle within a short time after initiating the rotation of said shaft or spindle. It is to he understood that as soon as the parts are in normal running condition the normal lubricating suppiy system is adequate to care for the lubricating needs of the shaft or spindle and its The machine illustrated in the drawings comprises a support or bed iti having formed on the upper surface thereof suitable guideways Il for guiding during the traversing movement a table i2 which supports a work piece for moving same relative to a tool or grinding wheel i 3. The work piece is normally supported between opposed head and tail stocks i4 and i5 adjustably secured to the bed I in the usual manner. Any suitable or desirable power and manual means may be employed ior effecting the relative movement of the table i2 relative to the bed lil, as is well known to anyone versed in the grinding machine -art. The manual means may conveniently terminate in the hand wheel iii, while the power means terminates in the reversing lever i1 operable by the dogs i8 secured to the forward edge of the bed i0.

As is `usual the bed Il) has projecting from the rear thereof an extending portion having formed thereon guideways for a carriage I9. The carriage i9 provides at opposite ends thereof bearings El and 2i in which yis journaled a spindle 22, to the forward end of which is secured the grinding wheel i3 for rotation therewith. Intermediate the ends of the spindle it has secured thereto a pulley or sheave 23 about which is trained suitable exible transmission means here shown as of the multiple V-belt type 24 received in correspondingly shaped grooves formed circumferentially ofthe sheave 23. The belts 24 are in turn journaled about a sheave similar to the sheave 23 secured toa jack shait or the like carried by the bed` IEI interiorly thereof as is the usual practice. lihis jack shaft may be operatively coupled with a suitable countershaft 25 to which is connected, by the` usual or accepted transmission means, a prime mover or other source of power.` The countershaft 25 is connected by a belt or the like 26 with a pump 27 provided in the rear of the bed i0 and =bearings, temporarily collecting there. 'machine remains out of operation for a consider- ;able period of time however, as for example when adapted to circulate a suitable lubricating medium through a pipe or the like 2t terminating in the upper casting or head 2.9 of the carriage i9.

As shown in Figure 2, the pipe 2S feeds a transverse pipe or conduit t@ formed in the casting or head 29 which turn connects with a longitudinal port 3i extending in substantially the same ydirection as the axis of the spindle 22. This port 3i vhas outlets 32 and -33 into a chamber S formed in the casting 2 above the sheave 23. The chamber 3ft has its side Walls 35 and 36 pierced by perforations 3l and 35 into which is respectively secured the open ends of lters v39 and llt, The nlters il@ and il@ are respectively enclosed within chambers "al ft2 formed in the casting ES on opposite ends of the central chamber Sil. As seen in Figure 3, each oi' the chambers il and ft2 have .depending lrom it a port or duct i-i connecting by way of longitudinal port or duct with a transverse duct 'il-5 closed -on one end lby a screw valve it for controlling theiioiv of lubricant to the bearings. Extending downwardly from the duct l5 is the nozzlell which extends into the passageway i3 projecting radially from the spindle 22 to the exterior oiE casting V2S. The spindle 22 is surrounded by means of bearing shoes it, 5d and El, the latter two being spaced from one another at a point beneath the noazle'fil to receive the lubricant as it passes from the said nozzle. The shoes are so shaped at this point to take up the lubricant and evenlyl distribute it along the bearing portions 2i and I22 of the spindle to thereby properly lubricate said spindle and bearings.

The longitudinal oil channel 3l terminates in outwardly projecting ducts 52 and each of which enters into a-chamber such as 553 positioned immediately behind the chambers il and Q2. The chamber 5ft Yhas extending therefrom the enlarged channel'` that terminates in the sump Y or tank from which the lubricant is drawn by the v return to the tank or sump. From the foregoing -it Will'be noted that the bearings 29 and 2i are amply lubricated once the pump is started and keptin `continuous operation. From the foregoing it will also be noted that all of the lubri Vcant being utilised by the bearings -must pass through the filters 39 and@ before delivery to said bearings and that all excess lubricant supplied by the pump is returned to the tank or sump `,prior topassage through the filters.

,it is to be understood that during the operation oi the machine the lubricant iovvs bygravity out or" the chambers il through conduits d3,

tty and i? to the spindle bearings and that `when operationv of the-machine is discontinued the lubricant willjdrain from thechambers to the lf the shut down over night or over the week-end, there is the possibility thatfthe collected lubricant may gradually drain out oi the bearing areas, leaving these in a relatively dry condition with the attendant possibility of their over-heating and `seizing `lwhen the machine is first started up and :before an adequate amount of lubricant has been Supplied thereto by th@ lublatillg Dump. TO be-operated-at'its maximum speed and have the eliminato the possibility of this condition arising and to enable the operator to lubricate the bearings initially and independently of the circulation oi' oil effected by the pump 2, I have provided certain improve-d auxiliary mechanism, which will new be described.

The cap 5l' that covers the several chambers in the casting 29 has secured therein centrally oi the chamber 3&5 a sleeve 5S having the reduced portion thereof extending through the cap and an enlarged portion 59 above the cap. Passing through the sleeve 58 is a plunger E553 pinned or otherwise secured to a comparatively large head El disposed within the chamber 3d. Secured to `the upper end of the plunger Si? is a knob 62 secured as by a pinv t3. The knob 62 has a relatively large counterbore t@ adapted to telescope on the enlarged portion t oi the sleeve E3. Enn circling the plunger et and disposed interiorly of the counterbore lift and counterbore within the enlarged portion 59 of the sleeve, is a spring @t abutting vat opposite ends on the seats respectivelyprovided by the counterbores Gi and 55. Theexpansion oi the spring iid normally urges the knob'i outwardly causing the head Gi to engage the projecting reduced end of the sleeve 5S. Also carried by the cap 5l interiorly of the chamber is a guide pin i'il passing through a suitable perforation E58 formed in the head ti and acting to guide the pin in its movement relative to the chamber Slt and to prevent any inadvertent rotation ofthe head E5 l. It will be noted that the maior portion of the height of the head El is above the line joining the lowermost points o theffilter periorations 3i and 38 so that but a little of the lubricant is displaced from the chamber Silby the norm-al position oi the head tl.

In the operation of the mechanism prior to the starting of the machine the operator may manually engage the `knob t2 for depressing the plunger .t0 against the resistance of the spring 65 to cause the head 8l to displace a quantity of lubricant substantially equal to the cubical content of the head. This displacement of the lubricant causes same to flow through the perforations 3l and 38 into and through the iilters Sfandf to the ports 13 for delivery by the nozzles il to the bearing shoes 5&3 and 5l which distribute the oil to the bearings immediately upon rotation or" the shaft or spindle so that no opportunity is afforded for heating the bearings and spindle and causinga failure thereof.

ln order to insure the proper displacement of the lubricant within the chamber 3d by the head i and to insure a substantially continuous ow of the lubricant to the bearings until the operation of the .pump 2 and to prevent the plunger -being immediately raised by the spring 66, means are provided for limiting the rate oi movement of the head il by the said spring. This is caused by properly interltting the enlarged portion 59 of the sleeve L58 within the counterbore 13 of the knob G2 so thatfthe chamber within the counterbore/54 is throttled t-o the reception of air which can only be received through the passage formed between the sleeve and knob. In other Words, a throttled or restricted passage is provided by the wall of the counterbore 6s and the wall of the en larged portion 59 of the sleeve 5S which limits the amount of air drawn into the counterbore @il andthereby eects a relatively slow rise in the head 6i by the spring 66. This time elapse between the compression and expansion of the *springft is sufficient to permit the pump 2l' to CTS lubricating system functioning in a proper and desired manner.

In order to apprise the operator of the amount of lubricant that is being supplied to the pas'- sage 4E, above referred to, it is covered'by a suitable window 69 through which the flow of the lubricant from the nozzle 41 may be observed.

It will be understood that while the present invention has becnfprimarily described as uti-V lized in connection with a purely gravity fed lubricating system in which the auxiliary oil supply is fed to the bearings only through displacement thereof within the reservoir, that the basic inventive principles contemplate its utilization in any manner in which an auxiliary supply of oil is delivered to the bearings, and that the member Si and enclosing chamber 313 might be related in the form of a piston and cylinder such that a positive ejection or delivery of the auxiliary supply oi oil to the bearings would be effected, or that other structural modifications may be made therein so long as the primary intended result ci eiiecting an auxiliary supply of lubricant to the bearings either independent or" or supplemental to the amount, if any, being at the moment delivered by the normal lubricating system.

What is claimed is:

l. In a mechanism for lubricating the spindles of a machine tool organization the combination of a housing having bearings formed therein, a spindle journaled in said bearing, a lubricant well in the housing above the bearings, lubricant .chambers adjacent said Well, ports extending from the chambers to the bearings for supplying lubricant by gravity to the bearings, lter means between the lubricant well and lubricantchambei` to filter the lubricant before it is supplied to the bearings, power actuated means for supplying lubricant to the well, and additional means for discharging a quantity of lubricant from the well into the chambers.

2. In a mechanism for lubricating the spindles of a machine tool organization the combination oi a housing having bearings formed therein, a spindle j'ournaled in said bearing, a lubricant well in the housing above the bearings, lubricant chambers adjacent said well, ports extending irom the chambers to the bearings for supplying lubricant by gravity to the bearings, filter means between the lubricant well and lubricant chamber to illter the lubricant before it is supplied to the bearings, power actuated means for supplying lubricant to the well, additional means for discharging a quantity of lubricant from the well into the chambers, and valve means in the ports from the lubricant chambers to the bearings.

3. In a mechanism for lubricating the spindle bearings of a machine tool organization the combination or a housing having a bearing therein, a spindle rotatably journaled in said bearing, a lubricant well formed in the housing above the bearing, a lubricant chamber adjacent the well, ports for supplying the lubricant from the chamber by gravity to the bearing, overflow means between the well and chamber whereby a denite quantity of lubricant is at all times trapped in the well, and means for discharging the trapped lubricant from the well into the chamber.

fl. In a mechanism for lubricating the spindle bearings of a machine tool organization the combination of a housing having a bearing therein, a spindle rotatably journaled in said bearing, a lubricant Well formed in the housing above the bearing, a lubricant chamber adjacent the Well, ports for supplying the lubricant from the chamber by gravity to the bearing, overflow means between the well and chamber whereby a definite quantity o1" lubricant is at all times trapped in the well, means for discharging the trapped lubricant from the well into the chamber, and additional means for supplying lubricant to the well and through the overilow means to the chamber and bearing.

5. In a mechanism for supplying lubricant to the spindle bearings cf a machine tool organization the combination of a housing having bearings therein, a spindle rotatably journaled in. the bearings, a lubricant well formed in the housing above the bearings, lubricant chambers adjacent the well for supplying lubricant by gravity to the bearings, overflow means between the well and chambers whereby lubricant is supplied to ie chambers from the well, and a. certain amount of lubricant is at all times trapped in the well, lubricant circulating means for circulating the lubricant through the well, chambers and bearings, and means for displacing the trapped lubricant in the well to the chambers prior to the operation of the circulating means.

(i. In a mechanism for supplying lubricant to the spindle bearings of a machine tool organization the combination of a. housing having bearings therein, a spindle rotatably journaled in the bearings, a lubricant well formed in the housing above the bearings, lubricant chambers adjacent the well for supplying lubricant by gravity to the bearings, overflow means between the well and chambers whereby lubricant is supplied to the chambers from the well, and a certain amount oi lubricant is at all times trapped in the well, lubricant circulating means-for circulating the lubricant thrcugh the well, chambers and bearings, means i'or displacing the trapped lubricant in the well to the chambers prior to the operation of the circulating means, said means for displacing the trapped lubricant comprising a head normally disposed above the level of the trapped lubricant, and a manually actuable plunger for shifting said head from its normal position into the trapped lubricant.

7. In a mechanism for supplying lubricant to the spindle bearings of a machine tool organization the combination of a housing having bearings therein, a spindle rotatably journaled in the bearings, a lubricant well formed in the housing above the bearings, lubricant chambers adjacent the well for supplying lubricant by gravity to the bearings, overflow means between the well and chambers whereby lubricant is supplied to the chambers from the well, and a certain amount of lubricant is at all times trapped in the well, lubricant circulating means for circulating the lubricant through the well, chambers and bearings, means for displacing the trapped lubricant in the well to the chambers prior to the operation of the circulating means, said means for displacing the trapped lubricant comprising a head normally disposed above the level of the trapped lubricant, a manually actuable plunger for shifting said head from its normal position into the trapped lubricant, yielding means for returning the head to its initial position above the lubricant level, and means for retarding the return movement of the head to afford a time interval in which the normal lubricant circulating means may be operated.

8. In a mechanism for supplying lubricant to the spindle bearings of a machine tool organiza- .tion the combination of ahousing having bear- --iri'gs therein, a spindlerotatably jeurnaled in the bearings,v a lubricant well formedin-the housing above the bearings, lubricant chambers adjacent the wellfor supplying lubricant by gravity to the bearings, overi'iow means between-the well `and chambers whereby lubricant is supplied to the chambers from the well, and a certain amount of lubricant is at all times trapped inthe well, lubricant circulating means for circulatingthe lubricant through the well, chambers and bearings, means for displacing thetrapped lubricant in the well to the chambers prior to the operation of the circulating means, said means for displacing the trapped lubricant comprising a head normally disposed above the level of the trapped lubricant, a manually actuable plunger lor shifting said bead fro-mits normal position into the trapped i-lubricant, yielding means for returning the head to its initial position above the lubricant level, means for retarding the return movement of the head to afford a time interval in which the normal lubricant circulating means may be operated, and valve means in the ports between the lubricant chambers and bearings to control the amount of lubricant to the bearings.

9. In a mechanism for lubricating the bearings of a rotatablers'naft the combination @tabous-- ing, bearings in said housing, a shaft rotatably journaled in the bearings, a lubricant well formed in the housing above the bearings, ports formed in the housing i'or supplying lubricant by gravity to the bearings, the well having an overflow whereby the lubricant is supplied from the well to the ports and the bearings and whereby a definite quantity of lubricant is at all times trapped in the well, lubricant circulating means for normally circulating the lubricant through the well, ports and bearings, and means having a normal position operable for effecting the discharge o1 said trapped lubricant from the well to the bearing ports before the normal lubricant circulating means is operated.

lo. ln a mechanism for lubricating the bearings of a rotatable shaft the combination oi va housing, bearingsv in saidhousing, a shaft rotatably journaled in the bearings7 alubricant'well Aformed inthe housing above the bearings, ports formed in the housing for supplying lubricant by gravity tothebearings, thewell having an overflow whereby the lubricant is supplied from the well to the ports and the bearings and whereby aldenite quantity of lubricant is at all times trapped in the well, lubricant circulating means rior normally circulating the lubricant through the 4we1l,-ports'and bearings, means having a normal position operable -ior effecting the discharge of said trapped lubricant from the well to the bear- .ing portsV before the normal lubricant circulating meansis operated, means for returning the said last mentioned means to its normal position, and means to retard the operation of said returning means to effect a time interval in which the norvmal circulatingmeans is operated.

.11. In `a lmechanism for lubricating the bearings oi' a rotatable shaft the combination of a housing, bearings insaid housing, a shaft rotatablygjournaled in the bearings, a lubricant well formed inthe housing above the bearings, ports iormedin the housing for supplying lubricant by gravityto the bearings, the well having an overflow whereby the lubricant is supplied from the well to the ports and the bearings and whereby a deinite quantity ci ,lubricant is at all times .trapped inthewell, lubricant circulating means for normally circulating the lubricant through the well, ports and bearings, means having a normal-position operable for effecting the discharge of said trapped lubricant from the well to the bearingports before the normal lubricant circulating meansis operated, means for returning the last'mentionedmeans to its normal position, Y .lea-nstoretard the operation of said returning lmeans to veilect a time interval in which the nor mal `circulating means is operated, and valve meansinfthezports vbetween the lubricant chambers and bearings to control the amount or" lubri- JOHN B. IELFRING. 

